The Pentagon says Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered about 8,500 U.S. troops on heightened alert,
WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon ordered 8,500 troops on higher alert to potentially deploy to Europe as part of a NATO"response force" amid growing concern that Russia could soon make a military move on Ukraine. President Joe Biden consulted with key European leaders, underscoring U.S. solidarity with allies there.
Russia denies it is planning an invasion. It says Western accusations are merely a cover for NATO's own planned provocations. Recent days have seen high-stakes diplomacy that has failed to reach any breakthrough, and key players in the drama are making moves that suggest fear of imminent war. Biden has sought to strike a balance between actions meant to deter Putin and those that might provide the Russian leader with an opening to use the huge force he has assembled at Ukraine's border.
A day earlier, the State Department had ordered the families of all American personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv to leave the country, and it said that nonessential embassy staff could leave at U.S. government expense. "What this is about is reassurance to our NATO allies," Kirby told a Pentagon news conference, adding that no troops are intended for deployment to Ukraine, which is not a member of the alliance but has been assured by Washington of continued U.S. political support and arms supplies.
If NATO does decide to activate the Response Force, the United States will contribute a range of military units, Kirby said.